MorningStar

MorningStar at Jordan Creek is ready to open and our staff is eagerly waiting to do what we do best –serving seniors.   Our community has 56 bright suites for assisted living with configurations that include spacious studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom floor plans (some as large as 820 square feet).   In our Reflections Neighborhood, we have 29 secure suites devoted to the individualized, specialized care of residents with Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia .       While the name “MorningStar,” may be new to the area, rest assured we are not new to senior living. On the contrary, MorningStar has over 25 communities and 3,000 units currently open or under construction all across the country.   In addition Jordan Creek has an experienced team that understands what it takes to provide residents with a quality of life unrivaled by other assisted living facilities.     MorningStar began in 2003 when founder, Ken Jaeger had ...

Located in Wheat Ridge, CO, a suburb on the north side of metro Denver, MorningStar Assisted Living and Memory Care of Wheat Ridge is proud to be part of Kipling Ridge, the city’s largest redevelopment project in nearly 30 years.  Our new neighbors are Sprouts Farmers Market and Starbucks.  Across the street from our community is the Wheat Ridge Recreation Center and Discovery Park.  We are convenient to banks, shopping, and restaurants, with I-70 a few miles to the north and Lutheran Medical Center just 1.5 miles to the east.    Once you take a look at our gallery of photos posted on our website, we are sure you will agree that MorningStar of Wheat Ridge is a step above the ordinary assisted living community.   With 45 private assisted living suites, we offer the choice of spacious studios, one-bedroom and two-bedroom floor plans.   Within our Reflections Neighborhood, we have 19 suites devoted to the care of those living with memory impa...

It was not that long ago that seniors moving into an assisted living community had to leave behind an important companion, their pet.   Today however, more and more retirement communities are recognizing the benefits of pets to the elderly, and many such as MorningStar at Mountain Shadows , allow residents to bring their pets with them.      There has been a lot of research that validates the benefits of pets in seniors’ lives.   In fact, A Place for Mom website reports on a study that shows, “just 15 minutes bonding with an animal sets off a chemical chain reaction in the brain, lowering levels of the fight-or-flight hormone cortisol and increasing production of the feel-good hormone serotonin. The result: heart rate, blood pressure and stress levels immediately drop.”   They go on to say that interactions between pets and humans can “lower cholesterol levels, fight depression and may even help protect against heart disease and stroke.” Anothe...

At MorningStar at Jordan Creek our mission is to provide residents an environment that promotes wellness of the mind, body and spirit.   Our signature Wellness Program offers a range of activities that are not only good for seniors entertaining as well.   Residents are also served meals made largely from scratch that are both delicious and nutritional.   Furthermore, we recognize the value of socialization and have designed our community to be a true home with comfortable, inviting common areas both inside and out that encourage residents to sit and enjoy a cozy chat.         As our expertise is serving seniors, we were interested in a recent article from U.S. News & World Report that discussed factors other than diet and exercise that appear to promote longevity.   While recognizing the importance of a healthy diet, physical exercise, and getting enough sleep, the new study examines several habits that may also influence how y...

Searching for an assisted living community for yourself or a parent can feel like an overwhelming task.   We know you want to make the best choice and there are a couple of things you may want to consider before you take such an important step.      First, you will want to research the various options in your preferred area.   The Internet is an efficient and easy way to discover what is out there, and you will find several websites that offer a search directory of facilities.   Also, you can check with your health care provider for any recommendations they may have.      Once you have narrowed down your list to several communities in your target location, give them a call to set up a tour.   While on the phone, have a list of questions handy such as are there immediate openings available, and if not, how long is the wait, the price range and what will you see on the tour as well as how much time it will take.    ...

It is estimated that 7 to 10 million people worldwide have Parkinson’s disease.   In the U.S. alone, a million people are living with the disease and as many as 60,000 new cases are diagnosed each year.   While there is not a cure for the disease, there is treatment; however anyone with symptoms needs to have a medical diagnosis in order to rule out other causes.    The Mayo Clinic’s website provides a list of some of the most common symptoms of Parkinson’s.   The first sign can be a tremor that affects one hand and a person may frequently exhibit a back-and-forth rubbing motion of the thumb and forefinger known as a pill-rolling tremor.   Tremors usually occur while the individual is at rest, and can affect the hands, limbs, and posture.   Another common sign of the disease is slowed movement known as bradykinesia. This can worsen over time and eventually affect a person’s ability to walk well or have trouble getting up out of a chair. ...

A cataract is the clouding of the lens inside the eye causing blurred or tinted vision, seeing double, impaired night vision, and extra sensitivity to light.   The vision loss from cataracts happens slowly over time and cannot be corrected with glasses or contact lenses or with corneal refractive surgery such as Lasik.   Cataracts are typically an age-related disease, and according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, “cataracts affect more than 24.4 million Americans age 40 and older. By age 75, approximately half of all Americans have cataracts.”    The surgery is typically performed as an outpatient procedure, and while cataract surgery may sound scary, most people get excellent results.   During surgery, the affected lens is removed and replaced with an artificial lens called an intraocular lens (IOL).   The procedure has been improved over the last several years by the use of a high-frequency ultrasound device, which has resulted in fast...